The diversity of video compression formats means some files fail to open in different players. For those who do not want to search for the extra downloads or add-ons for your favorite media player, Streamclip for Mac may be a good option for your system.
Unlike other choices, MPEG Streamclip for Mac comes as freeware, making it easy to try out and justifying its lack of available features. Simple installation had the program up and running within 5 minutes. Unfortunately, the confusing interface was difficult to interpret and there were no instructions easily available. More specifically, the cluttered and technical bottom toolbar would be especially troublesome for more novice users. If you have more experience with different video formats, conversion settings, and options available, the lack of guidance would not be a problem. Fortunately, the default values will work for most users. The program also explicitly states there is no technical support. While MPEG Streamclip is only a converter, it does have all of the options one could need, including AVI, MPEG-2, MPEG-4, and even audio-only selections. The actual conversion operation took about as long as one would expect, and the quality of the converted file appeared to match that of the original.
For those knowledgeable users looking for a free, simple video converter with multiple file options, including audio, MPEG Streamclip for Mac is a useful option.